Karolinska University Hospital is running an invitation to EU-financed digital innovation to meet the challenges facing care

News2017-02-08

Through the EU project LIVE INCITE, Karolinska University Hospital challenges the market to find new healthcare solutions. The hospital is leading the race to find digital tools that will help patients make lifestyle changes prior to surgery and reduce the risk of complications, thus providing the patients with better care outcomes.

Globally, the needs are the same and the scalability is important; it should be possible to apply the solutions to different care contexts and to other risk factors.

"Karolinska University Hospital has the ambition to be a leader in the development of modern healthcare. We want to advocate innovation that is useful to our patients. Future care solutions need to develop at a higher rate based on the requirements that have been identified, but where the solutions are not yet available," says Melvin Samsom, Chief Executive Officer at Karolinska University Hospital.

For the first time, Karolinska University Hospital is leading a project that is part of EU Horizon 2020 – the largest research and innovation programme in the world. The LIVE INCITE (Lifestyle intervention in the perioperative process through digital service) project was ranked highest within "Innovation in eHealth to enable patient participation".

"There is a continual element to what we as a hospital want to achieve. We want to investigate the possibility of using new digital tools to strengthen both patient participation in healthcare and the network around the patient," says Melvin Samsom.

Future care solutions need to develop at a higher rate based on the requirements that have been identified, but where the solutions are not yet available,” says Melvin Samsom, Chief Executive Officer at Karolinska University Hospital.

The aim of LIVE INCITE is to support patient lifestyle changes prior to surgery. For example, stopping smoking 6-8 weeks before surgery can reduce the risk of complications by 50%.

"We know that there is a much greater chance of patients doing well if they stop smoking prior to surgery, for example. Although we have been sharing this knowledge with others for many years, it has had very little impact," says David Konrad, Function Head of Perioperative Medicine and Intensive Care at Karolinska University Hospital.

We want to investigate the possibility of using new digital tools to strengthen both patient participation in healthcare and the network around the patient.

The challenge is to create support that provides the patients with enough motivation to change and maintain a lifestyle that reduces the risk of complications and mortality following surgery. It requires an overall grasp of both the problems and solutions and involves several perspectives. Therefore, behavioural science and medicine, patient influence, eHealth and digitalisation are being combined with the skills of large and small stakeholders within IT/Telecommunications, the gaming industry and other innovative industries – i.e. also stakeholders different to those who traditionally supply care with medical equipment.

"Globally, the needs are the same and the scalability is important; it should be possible to apply the solutions to different care contexts and to other risk factors," says David Konrad.

Invitation to participate in the market analysis prior to precommercial procurement

LIVE INCITE will conduct a three-step precommercial procurement, where the majority of the EU funding will be allocated to the companies that participate in solving care challenges. The project is currently in its preparatory phase, which includes a market analysis. Companies can register their interest here: www.ted.europa.eu

LIVE INCITE

Karolinska University Hospital is leading an EU project part of Horizon 2020, Innovation in eHealth to enable patient participation LIVE INCITE stands for "Lifestyle intervention in the perioperative process through digital service".

The three-year innovation project is financed by the EU Horizon 2020 and was ranked highest in its call for applications: Innovation in eHealth to enable patient participation.

LIVE INCITE is being led by Karolinska University Hospital. Partners: Bispebjerg/Frederiksberg Hospital in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Hospital Clinic in Barcelona, Spain, and Karolinska Institutet and the Swedish Rheumatism Association.

Total project budget: EUR 4.2 million. Coordinated by the Center for Innovation, Karolinska University Hospital.

The EU Horizon 2020 is the world's largest research and innovation initiative, with a budget in excess of EUR 80 billion. The programme focuses on the challenges facing society by creating better links between research and markets. Karolinska University Hospital extends an invitation to EU-financed innovation drive to meet the challenges facing care.